The End of War
by Ojamajo Komatsu
Summary: Radu had fled to Earth with his child Som-Ri, fleeing his horrible past, and after many years of living in peace with the Earthlings, Zim found his way to them. But as Zim and Som-Ri develop feelings for each other, the Empire finds them and takes Som-Ri.
1. Chapter 1

Section1:

(A.N: I don't own Invader Zim. Som-Ri, Ri and Radu are the only things I own)

Radu peaked into the room, being careful to not make any noise. Som-Ri lay sleeping soundly, her sides rising and falling as she lay nestled in her pillows. Her pale green skin, much paler than any normal Irken's skin, made her look almost human in the dark. She could have passed for human while sleeping, if it weren't for her long antennae that had curled themselves ever so gently around her neck. She was young, only about maybe a teenager by Earth measure.

He couldn't help but feel a swelling of longing while gazing at her; she who looked so much like her mother, and bore her name as well. She was like her mother in almost every way, but at the same time, he could tell the difference between the two. He smiled and closed the door gently, letting his daughter sleep.

Radu had built this base on Earth when he was trying to find a better place to raise their child. Som-Ri's mother had died right before he had fled with their daughter to Earth. He still longed for her, and seeing her every day in their daughter made the emptiness he felt for her deepen. It felt like he would never heal, like the ragged edges of his heart were being rubbed raw and torn every day.

He walked down the hall and opened the transport that was hidden under one of the counters in the kitchen to go down to his hidden lab. Sitting before one of the computers, he pulled up some of the pictures that had been taken of him and his mate Som-Ri. They were mainly images of them after they had become mated.

The first one was of them at the ceremony officially mating them in Irken society. Som-Ri wore a similar white tunic like outfit that their daughter wore, only it was more elaborately decorated and her antennae bell beads each had a small strand of glisten beads hanging from them. His own clothing was also elaborate, but he didn't care about himself, it was Som-Ri he was more interested in. They were younger in the image, both smiling widely and in each other's arms. From that day on, he was Som-Ri's personal bodyguard, not an Irken Invader.

The next one was a month after they were officially mated. They had gotten their own home on Irk and were moving into it. They stood in the den, holding hands and smiling happily. Tin, his robot servant, had taken this photo and uploaded it to the computers.

It had been a home that held many happy memories, even now that he no longer lived in it. He and Som-Ri had agreed to leave the house behind when they tried to leave to give their child a better life, a safer life.

He leaned back in the chair, listening to its creaks, and sighed heavily. He always smiled around his child Ri (his nickname for his daughter), and tried to never show his sadness. It was his past, his burden. Ri shouldn't have to deal with something like that.

"I miss you so much, Som-Ri. I don't know if I can live without you," he murmured, closing his eyes and trying to get some sleep.

_They were running down a long corridor brightly lit by overhead lights. The alarms were screaming overhead, deafening them. Their boots slapped against the hard metal floor as they sprinted for the docking bay where their ship waited. Behind them, over the blaring alarms, they could hear the shouts of the imperial guards trying to close the distance between them and stop them from reaching their getaway ship. _

_He looked back over his shoulder at his mate, trying to make sure that he didn't run too fast and leave her behind. Her bright gray eyes shone the same fear and excitement that he felt himself. The bundle in her arms began to make small hiccups that were the tell-tale singes that their child was about to start crying. She cradled the bundled against her face and crooned softly to the child, trying to calm her._

"_Not much further," He shouted back to her._

_He turned his attention back in front of him before he got a response. He knew that time was of the essence. The shouts behind them were getting louder and more frantic. They had been found. _

_They were coming to a turn that would lead them to the docking bay and to relative safety. His mate put a hand on his arm and stopped him. He looked down at her, panting heavily and confused. She pressed the bundled child into his arms._

"_What-" He tried to ask._

"_Take her and flee. Get her to safety and don't look back," she said giving him a kiss._

"_No. No, you're coming me. With us. I'm not leaving without you," he almost cried the words, fighting to be heard over the alarms, and keep his emotions in check._

"_I'm not asking you, Radu, I'm telling you. If I hold them off, get her to safety. Hide away somewhere, and raise her," she said turning to face the guards that had come into view._

_Her shoulders were squared, feet planted firmly in place and claws flexing menacingly. She was ready to die defending her mate and child, and would not hear any argument from him. But he couldn't live without her. She was the one being in the entire universe that had accepted everything about him and loved him despite all of his faults. She was his life. He couldn't live without her._

"_I can't leave you, Som-Ri," Radu could feel himself losing his usual tough as nails spirit. _

"_Radu, she needs you right now. Leave on the ship and get her to safety. I will fallow when I take care of them," She glanced back at him and smiled. That smile of hers always made him feel better. A smile that went to his very core and filled him with warmth. _

"_I'll look for you once I find a safe place," Radu said holding their child closer to him and getting ready to run._

"_I'll fallow," she said looking back at the guards. _

_They were almost upon them. Radu turned and ran down the rest of the corridor, catching a glimpse of Som-Ri driving her claws into the neck of the lead guard, green blood spraying all over the walls as a deep feral roar erupted from Som-Ri, drowning out the alarms. It was a rage filled roar that warned anyone within hearing distance that the attacker was not messing around. _

_He held his child closer to his chest as he sprinted at top speed toward the ship that was rapidly coming into view. He had to make it, for his mate and his child. He ran up the loading ramp and dropped into the pilot's seat, cradling his child in one arm as he booted up the ship and warmed up the engines. As the hatch closed, he could hear the sound of shots fired down the corridor, followed closely by the same feral roar. _

_He deftly piloted the ship out of the docking bay and well clear of the armada, dodging blasts from the cannons as he warred with himself. He could have gone back to save her. He could have left their child on the ship with his robot servant, but he couldn't leave her defenseless. He flew the ship out into space with no real destination. His ship was the fastest, so he didn't need to worry about being fallowed. _

_Letting his ship fly off into unknown space, he felt the first waves of pain wash over him. His chest tightening sickeningly until it felt like he would be sick. He felt hot tears working their way down his cheeks. Tears that he never knew he could shed. He held his head in his free hand, letting his own emotions get the better of him. He had left the most precious thing in his life behind. _

Radu woke up crying out, arms reaching for something he knew wouldn't be there. His chest was aching just like it had all those years ago. He looked down at his hands. They were shaking badly. Holding his head in his hands he let the tears fall. His chest heaved with sadness, his breath hitching with every intake.

"Dad?" came a soft, worried voice behind him.

He quickly wiped away his tears and swiveled his chair around. His daughter Som-Ri stood just inside the room, the transport doors closing with a soft whoosh behind her. Her pale blue-grey eyes were full of concern. She looked almost exactly like her mother. She even wore the same white tunic like coat as her mother.

"How did you sleep?" He asked, smiling warmly at her, pushing his dream far from his thoughts.

"Dad, you were dreaming of Mom again weren't you?" she asked, walking over and grasping his hand gently.

"Why do you ask?" he asked, his smile falling a little.

"You always cry when you dream of Mom," she replied.

"Not always. Sometimes it's the happier times. But that doesn't matter. Ready for breakfast?" Radu replied, standing and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Sure. I just wish you wouldn't sleep down here. It gets too cold sleeping in the chair," she said looking up at him as they entered the transport.

"I'll be fine, Ri," he replied kissing her forehead.

Radu made all the meals, taking extra care to make sure that everything he used and made was in its prime and as perfect as possible. He was trying to teach Ri how to cook, since he wouldn't be around forever to take care of her. He was showing her how to crack open a Rekki egg so then it wouldn't get any of the hard shell in the food. Apparently Earth had a similar creature called a 'chicken'. As he was trying to show her how to cook both sides evenly without burning either side of the delicate mixture, there was a series of anxious bangs on the front door.

"Tin, get the door," Radu ordered the little robot in the corner of the kitchen and not watching as it did as it was told, "Careful. You just need to push it around every few seconds. That lets it cook without burning."

Ri nodded and used her spatula to push the eggs around every few seconds. Tin re-entered the kitchen with Zim behind him. The poor little Irken had been banished to Foodcourtia for almost annihilating all of Irk, but he didn't understand. Then, to get rid of him a second time, the Tallests informally banished him to Earth, telling him he was going to invade the planet to get it ready for the Armada. Since the young Irken's arrival on Earth, Radu had taken him under his wing and did his best to take care of him too.

"Didn't you hear me out there?" Zim exclaimed as he caught his breath.

"Good morning Zim. Breakfast is just about ready," Ri said turning the stove off.

Radu took out three plates from one of the cupboards, and some silver wear. He held the plates while Ri dished out the eggs. It didn't look anything like the eggs that were eaten on Earth, but it was something they could eat.

"Zim, sit down please. Ri worked hard to make this," Radu placed the plates on the table and sat down.

"I was chased the whole way here!" Zim shouted.

"By Dib?" Ri asked sitting beside her father.

"The Dib-stink wouldn't leave me alone! He chased be for three blocks!" Zim said pointing at the living room window.

Dib stood with his face pressed against the glass. He had pressed his face so close to the glass that it had skewed his glasses. For just such occasions, Radu had made his glass windows himself. The windows instantly disguised Radu, Ri and the robot slaves if they were ever walking around without them.

Radu rose from the table and walked over to the front door, donning his disguise as he went. He opened the door and looked over at Dib, who immediately sprang away from the window, both startled and embarrassed.

"Is there something I can help you with Dib?" Radu asked smiling slightly at him.

"I was just looking for Zim to, uh, talk about the homework," Dib lied.

"He's having breakfast with us. He'll be out in about 20 minutes," Radu said not breaking eye contact.

"That's okay! I'll just, see him at school," Dib said quickly as he ran off.

Radu sighed. It was just one more of the headaches he'd gotten while living on Earth. Dib was no match for Radu. It was Zim and Ri he worried about.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: All that I own is Som-Ri, Radu, Ri, this computer I'm typing on, and this fanfic. I don't own Invader Zim, I'm not claiming I do own it. So sit back and relax :3

Section 2:

Ri and Zim were halfway to the road on their way to school when Radu came out of the house behind them calling their names. They paused and looked back at him.

"You forgot your lunches," Radu passed them two brown paper bags, "Have a good day. See you two after school."

"Have a good day," Ri said smiling broadly at her father before they left for school.

Radu waved after them until they were out of sight. He felt such a sting of longing it almost physically hurt. With a full day to himself, he didn't quite know what to do. But there was something he'd been putting off for a few days, and he couldn't prolong it anymore.

He walked back into the house and went down to the lab. He popped off his pak and hooked it up to one of the computers. It was time he updated it. He had been putting it off mainly because he was too busy training Zim and making sure Ri took her medicine. Now with both of them out of the house, he had all the time he needed to get himself back up on his feet. And now that he thought about it, it was about time for Ri's pak to be updated too. He had to teach her how to get it hooked up and which programs to use to find the updates.

He leaned his head back into the chair. He hadn't slept well and without the constant feed from his pak, he was getting sleepy. He was afraid to sleep; afraid because he knew that the second his eyes closed, he would be bombarded by memories of his beloved Som-Ri.

* * *

><p>"Ri, why does your dad not want me to tell the Tallests you're here?" Zim asked as they sat down to lunch.<p>

"I don't know. Dad says that they are vile and will only harm me if they knew I was here. My whole life I've lived here and I've never once seen the Tallests," Ri replied as the other students walked around with their lunches.

The lunchroom stunk more than normal, and the smell of unwashed human skin was almost intolerable. But across the room, Dib sat next to his sister watching them both with hatred. He knew that they were aliens and someday, he would expose them and finally be accepted.

Ri looked across the lunchroom at him and smiled. She knew that he was a paranormal investigator, but it looked better if she appeared nice to him in public. People would assume she was normal, or normal-ish, if she at least tried to be nice to him even after he was mean.

"Do not tell me you're smiling at the Dib-stink," Zim scowled as he looked at her smile.

"It's just for the public. You know I'm kind of afraid of him," Ri replied taking a bite out of her sandwich.

Zim did know. The first time that he had met Ri and Dib, Ri had started shaking the minute that Dib had turned away. She got spooked by the human or something like that. He didn't like the human either, but he just downright terrified Ri. Every time Dib tried to chase them home, Ri would find the fastest way home that was easiest to throw Dib off of their trail.

He looked over and made eye contact with Dib. Dib scowled at him and threw one of the foul Earth rolls that had been on his tray at Zim. He easily dodged it and stuck his serpentine tongue out at him tauntingly. Dib glared at him.

"Zim, don't make him mad! He'll probably chase us home!" Ri whispered urgently at him.

"Ha! Like Earth-smell could ever hope to catch us, the mighty Irken Elite!" Zim laughed, finishing up his lunch, "Wow. This was really good. Your dad is amazing at cooking."

"He is. He's been teaching me everything. Cooking, basic defense, basic robot maintenance, everything," Ri replied smiling fondly as she finished hers as well.

"Well, let's go back to that horrible Earth torture room," Zim groaned as they went back to class.

* * *

><p>Ri sprinted as fast as her legs would carry her. Her breathing was ragged and her throat burned as she ran. Zim was beside her, running as fast as he dared. He didn't want to run faster than her and run the risk of Dib catching her. He looked back over his shoulder. Dib was closing fast. A look of determination written all over his ugly Earth face.<p>

"Ri! Run!" Zim shouted between gasps.

Ri only ran. Her father had trained Zim how to run so much faster, but he didn't use his new found speed to get to safety. Was it because she couldn't run that fast?

"You won't get away this time!" Dib shouted.

His voice was getting steadily louder. It made her insides twist. She hated how weak she was, but her father refused to train her. He said she was like her mother; a gentle spirit. But she was not her mother, and in times like these, she needed the extra speed that Zim had.

Zim looked behind them. Dib was almost within range to grab Ri. Zim pivoted and threw himself at Dib with all the momentum that had been hurtling them towards Ri's house. They collided with a bone chilling crunch. Zim must have been traveling faster than Dib, because they actually rolled across the pavement back the way they'd come. Ri stopped and looked back as Zim pushed Dib's face into the ground.

"GO!" Zim shouted as Dib clawed for purchase on Zim's body.

Ri hesitated, but turned and ran home as fast as she could. She had to get her father. If anyone could make them stop fighting and make Dib go away, it was her father.

She burst through the doors and screamed out for her father. Her chest was heaving dangerously and her legs were burning from the effort, but she had to get Zim some help. Radu was by her side in a second, trying to figure out what was wrong.

"It's Zim!*gasp* Dib chased us!" she was almost in tears as she tried to catch her breath.

Within seconds, Radu was out the door and sprinting down the street with speed that Ri had never seen, his disguise up before he was even over the threshold. Radu was upon the two fighting teenagers before either one of them could register his presence. He pulled them apart and quickly fixed Zim's disheveled wig as Dib tried to fix his glasses that Zim had thrown to the pavement.

"What is going on here?" Radu demanded as he pulled Dib up by his elbow.

"The Human-filth chased Ri and I all the way here," Zim said smirking at Dib.

"I know what you are! I won't stop until I have proof!" Dib said clenching a fist.

"Stop! You, back to the house. And you go home. If you come near my daughter or attempt to hurt Zim again, I will call the police," Radu said sternly as he pushed Dib off towards his own home.

"Is Ri okay?" Zim asked as Radu watched Dib almost refuse to leave.

"Go and make sure she is okay. I left so quickly I didn't check on her first. She trusts you," Radu ordered, his voice serious and calm.

Dib still hadn't left and was watching Radu and Zim with accusing eyes. Zim looked from Radu to Dib before worry had gnawed a good sized hole in his gut and he darted off toward the house to check on Ri.

"Why haven't you gone off home?" Radu asked, his shoulders relaxing a little with Zim's presence gone.

"I know what you are," Dib said matter-of-factly.

"Oh? You know I'm a computer programmer?" Radu asked, using his cover story for the third time that week.

He had established an Earth ID when he'd first arrived on Earth. It was changed every so often so then people wouldn't suspect anything when he outlived them. This time, he was a computer programmer that had made a rather good living by inventing more advanced operating systems for military issue computers.

"What? No! You're an alien! All three of you are!" Dib shouted after a moment of confusion.

"Why in the world do you think that?" Radu chuckled a little.

"At first, I didn't think anything of you and Som-Ri. But when Zim arrived, I knew something had to be up with you two as well. No one can be friends with something like him unless they were the same as him," Dib said boldly.

"But then, if we were aliens, haven't you gone and put yourself at a disadvantage? You've made it public to us, your 'enemies', that you know our identities. So then what would stop us from silencing you? It's obvious that no one believes you," Radu replied crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow.

Dib opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Radu was right. No one did believe him about Zim and Som-Ri and Radu being aliens. And now, he was at a disadvantage. The only thing stopping them from killing him or doing something to him that would make him forget about them being aliens was…

"My father. If something were to happen to me, then my father would look into, and probably find out about you and your sick alien family and put all of you on examination tables" Dib said with realization all over his face.

"Oh, Dib. You sound as though we were aliens. Now, be a good lad and go home before I call you sister. I have to start dinner soon. Or would you rather join us?" Radu asked, his voice dropping a little as he lost all amusement from his face.

Dib only looked at him. Why was he still insisting that they were human? He'd seen Zim without his human disguise, and one of these days he'd catch Radu and Som-Ri without theirs too. One thing he did know, was that he wasn't going to stick around any longer. Things were already getting dicey and he didn't like the posture Radu had taken.

"No, thank you. I should get home. Lots of homework," Dib said turning to run.

"Dib. Be careful," Radu said coolly, his eyes hard as he watched the boy go.

Dib ran all the way out of sight, and Radu stood there the whole time to make sure he left. The boy was an issue. He was always snooping around, and he definitely knew that they weren't human.

Radu shook his head and went back home, his pace faster than he would have liked as he thought about how his daughter had looked right before he left. The minute he was through the front door he was calling out to figure out where they were. Tin walked over to his master and informed him that Zim and Ri had gone downstairs to the lab. So that's where he went.

Sure enough, Zim and Ri were before one of the computers. It was running a scan of Ri's body. Her coat was open, revealing her protective undershirt and pale skin. Her breathing was still ragged and she looked absolutely exhausted. They both looked up at his entry and Ri tried to give him a weak smile.

"Are you alright? I left before checking like a moron," Radu said, standing beside the table smiling like an idiot.

"You're not a moron. I needed you to stop Zim and Dib from fighting. And you did," Ri said almost breathlessly.

"Why were you out there so long?" Zim asked leaning back in the chair.

"I needed to talk to Dib for a moment. How are you doing? Did you take your medicine?" Radu replied, turning his attention fully to his daughter.

"I did. It just hurts to breathe a little," she replied.

"Radu, I really think you need to train her to run faster. If I hadn't been there, Dib probably

would have grabbed her," Zim fixed Radu with an intent stare.

"As much as I don't like the thought of using the same methods I'd used on Zim on my own daughter, I like the thought of Dib's hands on her much, much less," Radu replied after a long thought.

"Master. Everything is fine in Som-Ri. She has overexerted herself and will need some rest, but otherwise is fine," The computer responded as it finished its scan of Ri.

"Thank you Computer. And thank you Zim for looking after her," Radu replied, nodding to the computer, then smiling at Zim, "Now both of you get upstairs. It's time for dinner."

"Can I make it today?" Zim asked as they filed into the transport.

"Sure," Radu replied, smiling at him as they headed up to the kitchen.

* * *

><p>"Dad? Dad, wake up," Ri said, gently shaking her father awake.<p>

Radu jolted awake, looking around bewilderedly as he tried to figure out where he was. He rubbed one eye as he looked around his lab, then at his daughter. She was standing over him with a worried expression on her face.

"What's wrong?" Radu asked sleepily as he straightened himself up in his chair.

"I thought I told you not to sleep down here," Ri scolded with her hands on her hips.

From behind her, Radu could hear Zim chuckling. Zim had stayed the night to help train Ri how to run faster. To also make sure that Dib didn't chase him home, Radu had suggested that Zim spend the night and head to school with Ri in the morning like always. He was wearing one of Radu's old nightshirts and it hung loosely on him.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I must have dosed off while I was working," Radu smiled sheepishly up at her.

He rose from his chair and went to the transport, planning on making them breakfast before they had to go to school. But he paused as he was passing Zim, catching a scent on Zim that wasn't part of his usual smell.

"Zim, you smell different today," Radu said looking at him.

"Huh?" Zim asked, looking slightly alarmed and confused at the same time.

"You don't smell like you normally do. Maybe you should bath before breakfast. The showers are just at the end of that corridor," Radu said trying to put his finger on the familiar smell and indicating to one of the hallways that branched off of the room they were in.

"Uh, yeah. Maybe I will," Zim replied looking off down the hallway.

"Alright. But don't miss breakfast," Radu said heading up to make breakfast.

"Zim! You're lucky he didn't figure out the scent! If he ever finds out that it's mine, he'll probably kill you," Ri whispered urgently, holding him firmly.

"Relax. He'll never figure it out. Not while I'm wearing his shirt. See? Zim is too smart for him," Zim boasted as he smiled.

"Zim! He'll figure it out sooner or later! Stop that!" Ri hushed him as she tried to pry his arms away from around her waist.

"Fine. I guess I should go bath though," Zim said sniffing himself a little, "Ugh! I'm starting to smell like this horrid planet."

Ri only shook her head and headed up to the kitchen. Her father was busy making their lunches, their breakfasts waiting on the table. He didn't look up right away until Ri walked past him and he caught a scent he almost recognized.

"Ri?" Radu asked, not looking at her right away.

"Yeah Dad?" Ri asked, trying to act normal.

"Why do you smell different too? What were you two doing last night?" Radu asked, suspicion lacing his words.

"Nothing Dad. He was helping to teach me how to run faster remember? Maybe I just sweat too much," Ri shrugged as she sat at the table.

Radu said nothing and returned to the meal he was making, keeping his own worries to himself. When Zim came back upstairs, he smelled normal again, fully dressed and ready to go to school. He plopped himself down at the table and started eating.

Radu wrapped up their lunches, marked which one was which, and placed them on the table between the two. They each said thank you, finished up their food, cleaned up the dishes, grabbed their lunches and left for school. Radu waved to them until they were out of sight before retreating down to the lab, increasingly unnerved over the scent he couldn't quite put his claw on.

* * *

><p>"Zim, I'm serious. Dad would kill you if he ever found out," Ri worried as they walked to school.<p>

"All we did was cuddle. How is that so wrong?" Zim pointed out, scratching his head under his itchy wig.

"But Dad is very protective of me. You know that. Here, let me," Ri replied, reaching over and adjusting is wig to it didn't itch so much.

"He needs to lighten up. Either that or focus on the true threat," Zim replied, sighing a little at the relief.

"Dib leaves us alone when Dad's around. But dad won't be there forever. Dib won't give up so we'll have to get along on our own," Ri said.

"The Earth-smell can go and de-evolve for all I care. Zim is far too advanced to fall prey to such a lowly creature," Zim sniffed.

"He's seen you out of your disguise how many times?" Ri asked mockingly.

"Oh shut up. Not everyone had a father like yours," Zim almost snapped.

The second he said it, he wished he didn't. Ri looked at him for a brief second, almost hurt, before she looked away. He felt bad about saying that. They both knew that Zim had been hatched like all other Irkens, and only Ri knew what it was like to have a parent like the Earth Worm Babies.

"I'm sorry Ri. I didn't mean it like that," Zim tried to sound apologetic, but that was a little out of his range of experience.

"I know. I know. I'm lucky to have my father. I'm thankful every day that I have him," Ri replied, smiling up at him.

Zim couldn't say anything. He did feel bad, knowing for once what it was like to feel human and make mistakes. He didn't like it.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: All that I own is Som-Ri, Radu, Ri, this computer I'm typing on, and this fanfic. I don't own Invader Zim, I'm not claiming I do own it. So sit back and relax :3

Section 3:

Radu was waiting for them outside the school when it was let out for the day. He had disguised his Voot Cruiser as a sleek Lincoln Continental and was leaning against the passenger door, arms crossed and expression set between boredom and annoyance. As the kids filed out of the building, he scanned each face quickly until he saw the tell-tale green skin. Zim and Ri were looking all over the place for any singe of Dib. When Zim spotted Radu, he waved and pulled Ri's attention to her father. They ran over just as Dib burst out of the buildings doors.

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Ri asked as she hugged her dad.

"I figured I'd give Dib a little warning today. And what's wrong with picking up my daughter and Zim from school? Earth parents usually do that," Radu smirked as he opened the doors for them.

Radu shut the doors just as Dib spotted them. Radu smiled at Dib getting a little satisfaction out of the paleness that seemed to come over his usually peachy skin.

"See you around Dib," Radu called as he walked around his car to the driver's side and got in.

The ride home was quite. Radu made small talk by asking about their day, how the classes had gone, how their lunch was, how much homework they had and so on. But Ri and Zim seemed distracted, and it bothered Radu.

When they'd gotten home and safely docked the Cruiser, they walked into the kitchen so then Ri and Zim could finish their homework before their daily training.

"Dad? Can Zim stay over again?" Ri asked as she pulled out her homework.

"Again? I suppose. But you'll have to use my room tonight then," Radu replied as he pulled up a few hover displays.

"Why?" Zim asked.

Radu raised an eye ridge at him. It had been a rather stupid question on his part, and Radu almost wasn't going to answer.

"You both are young, adolescent Irkens. I was once your age Zim, and my daughter is very beautiful. Don't think I'd let you two be alone…at night all the time. Last night was for the time being. But I have a lot of work to do tonight, so I might not make it back to my room to sleep. So you might as well use my bed," Radu said folding his arms.

"Dad! It's not like that!" Ri shouted, flushing several shades.

"I would never think of doing something like that to Ri!" Zim stammered.

"I'm glad to hear that, but my daughter is still a young Irken female, and whether you have thought of something like that or not, I won't have you two alone at night," Radu said sternly, fixing each of them with a hard look.

Neither of them could say anything and they didn't start their homework until Radu had turned his attention back to his displays. Somehow, Ri thought that her father hadn't figured out the scent switch yet, but he did have a good reason to keep them apart. They had to be more careful. Her father was a tactical genius and a fierce fighter. In all the battles between Radu and Zim, Zim had never once beaten her father.

Tin walked up to his master, telling him about the completion of something down in the lab, prompting Radu to leave the kitchen to check on whatever it was. As soon as Radu was out of sight, Zim pushed his text books away in disgust, growling in frustration.

"Zim? Do you not understand a problem?" Ri asked, startled.

"No. It's not this idiotic Earth garbage! It's your father!" Zim grumbled, looking up at her from the folds of his arms.

"Dad has every right to set about restrictions. It's his house and I'm his daughter," Ri said turning a page in her textbook.

"But Ri, I want to hold you. I want to feel you breathing and hold you close. I want you to be with me, Ri," Zim moaned in anguish.

"Zim! Do you know what you're talking about?" Ri exclaimed.

"Of course I do. I want you with me forever, Ri," Zim replied calmly.

"Now let's not rush into this, Zim. You know what you ask of me, so you must know that I cannot just agree to it without serious thought first," Ri said, flushing as she tried to figure out why she felt so breathless.

"What is there to think about? We've known each other for many Earth years. I probably know you better than Radu does," Zim said, almost angrily.

"I need to think about it Zim! I don't know how I feel about this. This is my life that we're dealing with, and I want to make sure I'm making the right choice," Ri exclaimed, her voice hinting at the tears that were on their way.

"Ri, I don't want to rush you. I also don't want you to regret your decision or be unhappy. But just know that I'm willing to give you my life," Zim said holding her gaze firmly.

Ri couldn't say anything even if she had wanted too. Her feelings were too confusing for her to decipher which one was what, even with years of her father's intensive training. She swallowed hard and nodded, trying to keep her tears away. She focused on her textbook, trying to preoccupy herself. Zim grabbed her hand gently, and gave it a gentle squeeze, smiling at her when she looked up at him.

The entire exchange had lasted only a few minutes, and by the time Radu had come back upstairs, they were doing their homework in silence. Radu was completely unaware of what had happened and started dinner. As they finished their homework, Radu set the table and served their food, not letting them train until they had at least gotten some food in their bodies.

Ri collapsed on the floor, panting heavily as sweat poured down her face. Zim dropped next to her, breathing heavily, but not sweating nearly as badly as she was. She looked at Zim and smiled. They started laughing as they tried to wipe the sweat away from their brows.

"You're getting fast. I doubt even the Dib Monkey could catch you," Zim chuckled.

"Really?" Ri asked.

"Yup. Even with his new height, he couldn't catch you now," Zim said puffing his chest out with pride.

"Thank you, Zim," Ri sighed, holding his hand gently.

"For what?" Zim asked puzzled.

"For protecting me from Dib. You could have outrun him, but you attacked him to protect me," Ri said sitting up and looking at him.

"I couldn't let the little inferior Earth-Stink touch you!" Zim sniffed angrily, holding her hand tightly.

"Thank you Zim. You saved me," she said kissing his cheek.

Radu looked at the clock on one of his computers, sighing as it read about 5 in the morning. It was time for breakfast to get started so the kids could go to school by 7. But first, he had to wake them up. He stood from his chair, cracking his back as he stretched. Sleeping in his chair was making his back stiff.

He walked briskly to his transport and had it bring him up to the second floor of his home. It didn't take him long to reach his room where Zim was sleeping. He opened the door and was about to shout at Zim to wake up when his breath caught in his throat.

His daughter and Zim were stretching in the center of the room, arms stretched out behind and in front of them, Zim's chest bare and Ri's covered only by her protective under shirt. They were breathing slowly as they moved their bodies in perfect unison in slow, arching movements. They looked like a work of art in motion, moving at the same time and never stepping too far or too close to the other.

"Ri?" Radu called awed, confused and alarmed at the same time.

Both Zim and Ri froze, faces slipping from their calm expressions into panic. Ri immediately grabbed her coat and pulled it on, trying to hide her undershirt. Zim was trying to pull his coat on, both trying to say some excuse as to the display Radu had just seen.

"Dad, I just…we were just, uh, stretching," Ri stammered, as she buttoned up her coat.

"It's something we decided to do yesterday when her training started," Zim covered, buttoning his coat up over his semi-sweaty chest.

"Where did you two learn to move like that?" Radu asked, not moving from his place in the door way.

"It's a combination of moves you've taught me and things I've observed the human stench using," Zim shrugged, buttoning up Ri's coat when she missed one.

"Really? Your adopting human customs and turning them into something Irken?" Radu asked impressed.

"What of it?" Zim sniffed, crossing his arms hotly.

"Zim, adopting the customs of the locals and enhancing them to be useful to Irkens is the first step an invader needs to learn in order to succeed," Radu said thumping him on the shoulder.

Zim stood there, not fully understanding, but as he stood there, he began to understand, and a smile spread quickly across his face, revealing all of his sharp teeth. Ri smiled and patted his arm, glad he was finally on the right path for once in his life.

"Zim, now that you have learned the most basic of all Invader lessons, I can now begin to fully teach you," Radu beamed, patting his shoulders, "Now, let's have breakfast. You have a long day ahead of you."

Ri gently pressed her shoulder against Zim's when Radu had turned to leave, giving him a wide smile as he looked at her. Her father walked ahead of them, babbling on about the many other lessons that Zim still had to learn, but to Zim and Ri, it didn't matter. Tonight, they'd have to tell Radu.

Radu was sitting at the kitchen table, reading over some of the reports his robots had brought him when they had observed Dib for the day. The boy was making things increasingly difficult for him. He was snooping around more and more, and he was starting to bother Ri and Zim more when they were at school when he couldn't help them. They were strong when they were together, Zim providing the muscle and Ri providing the intel Zim lacked. But Dib was growing taller than Ri, since humans did grow rather tall, and his obsession with finding alien proof was proving to be his greatest source of strength.

He was aware of the front door opening and the sounds of Ri's and Zim's voices drifting to him from the living room. He didn't care at the moment. He was too busy trying to get his plans set up. The boy was an issue, and he had many ways to dispose of him. But he did have a point. If he did vanish suddenly, then his father would look into the matter, and probably uncover him and his family. It was a risk that he couldn't afford to take, but at the same time, he couldn't afford to let Dib continue to endanger his daughter.

He snarled in frustration as he pushed the hover screens away from him. He'd have to call in someone who could control the boy. He leaned back, and rubbed a hand over his tired eyes, regretting not having slept the night before. A hand fell onto his shoulder, causing him to jump.

"Sorry, Dad. I thought you saw us enter," Ri said pulling her hand back a little.

"No, no. I was just deep in thought. How was your day?" he said, smiling broadly.

"It was good," Ri replied, going over to the fridge and getting some Hish.

"If you call the Dib-thing's actions today making it a good day," Zim huffed as he plopped down into a chair by the table.

"What did Dib do?" Radu asked, his voice cautious and hard.

"Nothing Dad," Ri said, giving Zim a hard stare.

"Oh, you call throwing a disgusting ball of filthy Earth liquid at me nothing," Zim hissed, leaning aloofly on the chair.

"He threw water at you?" Radu raised an eye ridge.

"Yes! It hurt like a Glath," Zim exclaimed.

Ri just looked over at him and silenced him with a look. It was not the time or the place to be worrying her father about Dib. Just by looking at him she could tell that Radu was losing sleep, and it was probably because of Dib. Placing a glass in front of both of them, she sat down with her own glass.

"So dad… How would you respond if I said that Zim and I wish to become mates?" Ri looked at her father carefully.

He laughed, much to her and Zim's amazement. But when he realized that they weren't laughing, and were staring at him with a kind of fear/shock, the laugh died in his throat, and his face turned stony serious.

"What?" he asked.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: All that I own is Som-Ri, Radu, Ri, this computer I'm typing on, and this fanfic. I don't own Invader Zim, I'm not claiming I do own it. So sit back and relax :3

Section 4:

"Now dad, I'm just asking because Zim and I…we really like each other," she tried to explain as calmly as she could and keep Radu calm too, but her father was not in the comforting mood at the moment.

"You two? Mate? No! I won't let either of you get that far!" the glass Radu had been holding shattered in his hands, the Hish flowing all over the table and his own bleeding hand.

Zim was already bracing himself for the imminent beating he was sure to receive for this. But Ri was already putting herself between her enraged father and the Irken she'd grown fond of. Radu, on the other hand, was growing steadily angrier. Ri wasn't even paying attention to half the things he was yelling anymore. His voice was getting louder as he was getting angrier, he was trembling with rage, and he even made a move to push Ri aside to get at Zim. Ri just pushed against his chest.

"DAD SHUT UP!" Ri screamed at him.

That got his attention. Everything went quiet, and even Zim, cowering behind her, flinched.

"Dad, Zim isn't going to hurt me. He's just trying to be happy, like you and mom were," Ri dropped her voice so then Radu had to concentrate on her words, "He didn't force me into this either. I'm not carrying his smeet, and I'm not picking Zim because he's convenient either. I really do like him."

Radu remained quiet for a little while, staring at his daughter that, for a brief moment, didn't look like his daughter anymore. For the briefest of moments, all he could see was her mother standing before him, scolding him for being careless while on a mission. It lasted all of a second before it was little, fragile Ri, trying to calm him down and convince him that she and Zim belonged together. Taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down, he dropped into the chair and looked up at her.

"Alright Ri, If you really want to be with Zim, who am I to tell you no?" Radu looked into her eyes, eyes that were so much like her mothers, but so much not like hers.

"Do you…do you really mean it dad?" Ri looked at her father in shock.

He had backed down without throwing one punch. He hadn't even threatened to take out his claws to attack Zim. Maybe she had acted quickly enough that she had prevented the catastrophe from happening. But that look on his face, it wasn't from her yelling at him; it was because there were memories attached. While she was deep in thought, Zim had stood, and slipped his hand into hers, and stood beside her.

"I won't let anything happen to her, Radu. No Worm-baby or what-have-you will take her away from me. I'll use everything you've taught me to keep her safe," Zim said, looking at the older Irken honestly.

Seeing Zim and Ri standing side by side like that made him think of what he and Som-Ri must have looked like when they had first started being together. But he had been so much taller than Zim at the time. He was different than most Irken males. He was taller, faster, stronger and smarter than most Irken males, especially their leaders. Zim probably wouldn't get a whole heck of a lot taller than he already was, but if he listened and trained hard enough, he just might overpower him one of these days.

Ri held Zim's hand a second longer before hugging her dad. She could tell by the sad smile on his face that he was remembering, or thinking very deeply. That same sad smile had been present her entire life, and it wasn't until she was much older did it actually mean anything to her. When she was just starting to come into puberty that's when she understood what that sad smile meant. It was the smile he used to hide his pain. This was hard for him, even if he wasn't saying it anymore. She had been his whole life ever since her mother died, and now, he was losing her too.

"I promise, I'll stay here a little while longer. Then, after a while, I'll move in with Zim and I'll still come and see you as often as I can," she said it as happily as she could, even after he started doing the shaking she'd seen him do when he cried.

He didn't make any sound when he cried. He just cried silently. It wasn't just that his only child was finding herself a mate and moving out, but it was the years of sadness and depression and memories that had built up to the bursting point. Now he could let it all out, and he did. It was almost overwhelming to Radu just how much he cried. It was years of things he'd been repressing, and now that he had started, he couldn't stop. He was even expecting Zim to pipe up with a witty joke and mock his weakness, but it never came. Zim stood by silently and let his mentor show his weakness.

After a while, Radu's tears dried and he pulled Ri from himself, holding her out to smile at her and stroke her cheek, smiling genuinely for the first time in ages. He sighed heavily and stood.

"I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. I can't baby you forever, Ri. After all, you are just as spirited as your mother," he rests a hand on her shoulder, being careful not to use his injured hand.

"Thank you dad. Now let's fix your hand before it gets infected. Sit please," she eased him back into the chair he'd vacated and took out some of her medical equipment to clean his wounded hand.

"You really scared the living Tallest out of me when you broke the glass. I never knew you were so strong Radu," Zim, feeling a little useless, started cleaning up the broken glass on the table and wiping up the Hish that had spilled all over the place.

"Yes, well, it was rather a shock to learn that my daughter was courting a young Irken invader," Radu chuckled a little, which turned to an angry hiss as Ri pulled some glass from the wound.

"Relax dad. It's only some glass. If we leave it in there, your hand will never heal properly," she chided as she pulled out some more glass and handed it to Zim.

"I know, I know. You forget who taught you everything you know, once you're done fixing your foolish father, I'll start making dinner while you two do your homework. It's safe to assume that after all this time, you haven't done it for the day yet," Radu smirked as Zim groaned loudly at the thought of Geometry.

Once Ri had finished bandaging up his hand, Radu started dinner, their ordeal already over for the day. But Radu couldn't shake the feeling that Dib was nearby. He remained calm. If Dib was nearby, he'd have to have a pretty good plant to attack while he was home. And if he dared to hurt Ri or Zim, he better be ready for the consequences.

Once they had finished eating, Radu sent the two younglings down to the lab to train for a little while. While they were going down, Radu slipped off to confront Dib. Sure enough, Dib had hidden himself in a nearby tree, watching the house through binoculars. Radu donned his disguise, and walked out of the house.

"Dib! Come down from there! Do you want to fall and break your neck or something?" Radu called, startling Dib.

"How'd you know I was up here?" Dib asked, almost losing balance.

"Because you look nothing like a bird," Radu smiled and waited for him to come down.

Dib walked over like a dog waiting for the whipping that was sure to come. Radu just ruffled his hair. The poor lad had had a hard life so far, and it wasn't going to be any easier for him if he kept acting like an idiot. The death of his mother had been hard on him, just like it had been hard on Radu to lose Som-Ri.

"Come on inside, Dib. Don't touch anything," Radu warned, opening the door for the child.


	5. Chapter 5

Hello again. Sorry I haven't posted in so long. Work keeps getting in the way. Well, you guys know all the usual disclaimer stuff by now so I'll leave you to your story now. And remember, enjoy it.

* * *

><p>Section 5:<p>

Dib seemed reluctant to enter, until Radu had put a hand on his back and given him a gentle little nudge forewords. Radu wasn't worried. He had the interior of his home decorated like a human home, and he had already sent a message down to the robots and the kids about the unexpected visitor. If they came upstairs without a disguise, it was their own faults.

"Come to the kitchen please, I just finished doing the dishes and I have some fresh lemonade in the fridge," Radu smiled and lead him to the kitchen.

Dib didn't seem to be paying too much attention to what Radu was saying. His head seemed like it was one a ball joint, swinging in all directions, taking in every little detail he could before being lead to the kitchen. Radu indicated the chairs around the table while he got the lemonade out of the fridge. It was something the fridge had just made because Radu had programed the fridge to make such things when he said them. He poured a cup for himself and a cup for Dib, who was still looking everywhere.

"For Heaven's sake Dib, would you stop? You look like an owl or like a paranoid cat," Radu chuckled as he handed him the cup.

"Sorry. It's just that this seems almost like a normal human house," Dib said, drinking his lemonade cautiously.

"That's because it is a normal house. Bought all the furniture myself when we moved here," he plopped down across from him at the table, drinking serenely.

"Why would you buy furniture when you moved here? Didn't you have any back on your home world?" Dib asked with a smirk.

"What, you mean back in Kentucky? We did have furniture, but all belonged to the landlord. So when we moved, we had to get new stuff," Radu shrugged indifferently, smiling inwardly at Dib's scowl.

"Why do you keep insisting you're not aliens? I know you are. Just look at Zim," Dib said, dropping his voice dangerously.

"Why do you insist we are? We look human, act human, live in human homes here on Earth. Why do you think we're not human?" Radu tilted his head curiously.

"I didn't think much of you and Ri at first, but it was when Zim started coming around and hanging out with you guys that I knew something was up. No normal human could hang out with Zim and think he's normal," Dib replied as he gulped down more lemonade.

"Even though most of your classmates think he's normal?" Radu raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

Dib remained silent on that one. He had thought about it maybe once or twice, but it had never really crossed his mind. Radu and Ri looked human enough, but Zim didn't look human at all except for his hair and eyes. Everything else screamed alien. Green skin, no ears or nose, the way he talked, he even had four fingers for crying out loud. But his classmates treated him like he was normal and Dib was the alien.

"Dib, let it go. Even if my family and I were aliens bent on taking over the Earth like you claim we are, don't you think we would have done it by now?" Radu leaned back in his chair.

"I can't just give up on the paranormal!" Dib yelled, instantly looking down after his outburst.

"I'm not saying give up on paranormal stuff, just give up on us. We're no threat to you Dib," Radu lay a hand on Dib's shoulder.

Radu knocked on the door, waiting to hear Ri's response before he opened the door. She smiled nervously at him, pulling the last piece of her ceremonial garb on. It was like an Earth wedding dress, but with many Irken aspects tossed in. Radu hadn't noticed until that moment, but she looked almost exactly like her mother the day they had become mates.

"Dad?" Ri asked, seeing his vacant expression.

"You look stunning, Ri. You remind me of your mother the day of our ceremony," Radu replied, smiling.

"Really?" she blushes a little and fiddled with the lace that bordered the neck line.

"Yeah, really. She wanted you to have these when you were of age," he pulled a box out of his pocket and opened it for her.

Lying on the soft silk of the box were the same antennae bead that Som-Ri had worn on their mating ceremony, the glisten beads shining on the silk. Ri sucked in a breath and gently touched the beads. Radu gently took them out of the box and gently affixed them to her antennae. Staring at his beautiful daughter before him, he knew it was time to let her go. She'd made her choice, and was willing to stand by Zim. As long as he made her happy he had no arguments.

"Come," he said smiling and holding his hand out to her, "Zim's waiting."

Radu lead her back downstairs and to the waiting Irken, who was dressed in his formal attire. Radu performed the ceremony that would bind them together, much like the one he and Som-Ri had had during their ceremony. The only difference was that Ri and Zim didn't receive the blessings of the Tallests. Later that day, after the ceremony, Radu had stood on the front lawn watching Zim and Ri drive off in Zim's cruiser towards his base. They were mated now, and they had to consummate it. It was a hard thought Radu didn't like but he dealt with it.

Going back inside, Radu became painfully aware of the silence and stillness to the house. Somehow, it seemed…vacant and unused. Ri had always been somewhere in the house, humming, whistling, singing, something that made the house seem lighter. Now it seemed so empty. He hadn't lived alone for a very, very long time, and the silence was penetrating and just seemed wrong somehow. Sighing, Radu tried to find something to take his mind off of the silence and stillness that was driving him nuts.

Radu was down in the lab looking over the many transmissions passing through space. One was Earth bound. The Tallests. The transmission was going right to Zim, who had Ri sleeping over at his place to consummate their ceremony. Things will not go well if they're in the middle of things or if Ri somewhere that they could see her. And why would they be calling Zim? They hated him anyways.

Radu grabbed his coat and headed up to the docking bay with Tin. He might not arrive in time to intercept the transmission, but he could warn them…hopefully. He warmed the ship up and quickly cloaked it, heading for Zim's place across town. He just hoped that he could arrive in time. But if Radu had been paying attention to the data on the call, then he would have known that the call had gone through three hours ago.


	6. Chapter 6

Section 6:

(A/N: I have been going through a whole lot of stuff recently and writer's block on top of that so it took me a while to find time to get this up. So for all of you patiently awaiting this chapter, here you go, and for those who still read this even though all you do is post hate, do what you want but just know that it's considered cyber bullying. I appreciate constructive criticism, but just flat out trash is not.)

When Radu arrived at Zim's house, he sighed with relief. Nothing looked out of sorts; there were not shapes moving quickly behind the windows, no raised voices, no movement at all. The house was a little too still. That alarmed him greatly, knowing that if the Tallests had figured out where Radu had hidden Ri, that they'd deploy their special team of elite warriors. They would never leave any singe behind of their presence.

He quickly docked his ship behind Zim's house and sped up the back steps and into the kitchen. There were no alarms, no startled voices of disturbed Irkens at his presence, not even Gir running in to greet him. The silence sent a cold chill down his back. Something was horribly wrong.

"Ri? Zim?" Radu called nervously, walking through the kitchen and into the living room.

In a heap against one of the walls was Gir, lying motionless and all color dimmed from his little metal body. Radu took in the sight in just a few seconds. The smoke pluming from his circuit boards in his back, the cracks in the wall where the poor thing must have been thrown into, even the fact that the couch had been moved a few inches from where it usually was. These were singes that something had happened.

"Tin," he said, not taking his eyes off the little robot body against the wall.

"Yes, sir," Tin ran over to the other robot and started working quickly on the damage.

Radu sprinted up the stairs two at a time, desperate to see if his worst fears were wrong. He begged, willed them to be wrong. After so much had happened in his life, he couldn't bear to think that his precious Ri had been found and taken when she finally left his protective watch. If she was gone, taken, he'd kill Zim for his negligence. His eyes were blurring with the tears of panic.

Once his feet hit the upstairs hallways, he was screaming for Zim or Ri, running from room to room, noting how several doors had been broken in and the hinges repaired sloppily. Hearing a groan from the master bedroom, he sprinted down the hallway and into the doorway. His breath caught as he took it all in. The room was destroyed. The bed was in tatters with stuffing forming snowdrifts all over the floor, torn sheets strewn about the floor, nightstands tipped here and there, and Zim lay unconscious on the floor, just stirring to life again from whatever happened. His red eyes fluttered opened as he groaned and tried to get up. Radu was beside him and helping him up before Zim was even fully away he was there.

"Zim, tell me what happened here," Radu barked, barely even letting Zim's feet get under him before he let go when he hauled him to his feet.

Once his feet got traction on the floor, Zim held his head and winced. He blinked a little and looked right at Radu a second, not fully understanding what he was looking at. Not fully understanding that the tall alien before him was the father of his mate and that his entire posture was seeping fear and rage for just the briefest of moments.

"Some Irkens came, dressed in all black from head to toe with spears and guns. They broke in, and Gir tried to hold them off but I don't know what happened. They cornered us up here and we tried to hold them off…but…they took her," Zim's already slightly paled skin paled even further as it really sank in.

"How the Hell did they find her Zim?!" He pinned Zim to the wall by his shoulders, growling as he glared at the youngster.

"Th-the Tallests called when we were doing an examination in the lab," he could barely hold his voice steady as Radu seethed in front of him.

"I told you! I told you so many times! I told you _not_ to let them see her! Look what you've done! My daughter….my Ri…" Radu's voice cracked at the very end as tears spilled over and he let Zim crumble to the floor.

Zim just sat there staring up at him. He'd never seen another Irken cry in his whole life, and especially not Radu. In all the years he and Radu had known each other he had never seen the male cry. The hard and touch teacher and loving father was crying now, hard and heart retching. Zim tried to stand, nearly falling over as his unsteady feet slipped on the floor. He gently rested a hand on Radu's back.

"I may have failed to protect her and keep her hidden, but I won't fail in bringing her home," Zim puffed out his chest and held Radu's stare with determination.

"You don't stand a chance," Radu said immediately, making Zim flinch with the blow to his ego.

"But you trained me," Zim threw it out there in a desperate attempt to salvage his dignity.

"I trained you, yes, but you still haven't beaten me, and you couldn't defeat or even repel the Shadow Squad," Radu jabbed again at his ego.

"Ri is my mate, your daughter. I failed her, so let me try to get her back or die trying," he looked at Radu with such determination that even Radu was taken aback.

Radu had that same look to his eyes when he was dead set on doing something. That same determination had served him well his whole life. Until now. But maybe Zim's determination could save Ri where his own had fallen short.

"Alright. We'll boot up my cruiser and take on the Armada. That's where they'd take her," Radu said, grasping Zim's shoulder.


End file.
